How is lean manufacturing defined?

Lean manufacturing is defined as a production practice aimed at reducing waste and increasing value. This concept centers on streamlining processes, optimizing resources, and ensuring that every step in the manufacturing process adds value from the customer's perspective. The core philosophy behind lean manufacturing is to identify and eliminate non-value-added activities, thereby minimizing waste in areas such as materials, time, and labor.

By focusing on waste reduction, lean manufacturing helps organizations improve efficiency, enhance product quality, and shorten lead times, which ultimately contributes to greater customer satisfaction and increased profitability. Adopting lean practices not only improves operational performance but also fosters a culture of continuous improvement among employees.

The other options represent concepts that do not align with the principles of lean manufacturing. For instance, maximizing resource expenditure contradicts the lean focus on efficiency. Increasing the number of employees is not a strategy inherent to lean practices, as lean emphasizes doing more with less. Lastly, prioritizing inventory over production efficiency goes against the lean aim of reducing excess stock and streamlining operations.